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The MasterHarper of Pern: Chapter 8
Covers the Turns 2LI403-409 (2460-2466 AL) Robinton and Merelan continue to serve out Merelan's contract with Benden Hold. Merelan suggests sending Maizella to the Harper Hall for further training, and hopes to be able to give C'gan more training. Lady Hayara gives birth to a son. Falloner tells Robinton about how a clever rider can ensure that his Bronze gets the Queen, and recounts how his father S'loner became Weyrleader by edging out C'rob's Spakinth, and how Feyrith's clutch by Spakinth was much larger than her previous clutch by Spakinth. Falloner once again repeats his conviction that he'll be Weyrleader when the next Pass begins, and that's why he's determined to learn as much as he can. Robinton and Merelan finish their contract and return to the Harper Hall. Falloner promises Robinton that he'll visit him as soon as he has a bronze . C'rob transports them back to the Harper Hall, while M'ridin transported Maizella. The Harper Hall welcomes them back enthusiastically. Robinton's friends are excited to see him again. Petiron was in at the time of their return. Petiron returns in the evening of the day of their arrival, delayed due to an injured beast. Relations between Petiron and Merelan remain strained. Merelan is upset that Petiron was not there to greet them, and particularly at Petiron's casual dismissal of Robinton. Petiron, following protocol, requires Robinton to try out for the position of solo treble. He passes with flying colors, though Petiron still finds something to fault him on. Petiron attempted to get his son assigned to himself for instruction, but was neatly routed by pointing out protocol, that Petiron taught at the journeyman level. Gennel tells Petiron about a drum message from Igen Hold requesting a repeat of the performance he put on last year, and suggesting that perhaps it could be Robinton's debut. Ogolly asks Robinton for assistance copying manuscripts. The day after his 12th birthday, he formally becomes an apprentice. Father-son relations continued to become more strained over the previous two Turns. While Merelan packing Robinton's things, Petiron discovers manuscripts of popular songs, learning the full extent of Robinton's songwriting. Another major fight between Merelan and Petiron break out. There were 26 apprentices in his class. The head apprentice is a young man named Shonagar, from . He delights in emphasizing the apprentices' lowly position, and in the tradition of spending a night at the abandoned Weyr. Shonagar was, however, a fair, strict, head apprentice. Robinton, in part because of his earlier visit to Benden Weyr, volunteers to go first. Robinton spends the night at the Weyr, in one of the junior queen weyrs. He falls asleep, and must be roused awake at dawn by the 4th year apprentices who came to get him. On his way back, Robinton thought he'd seen a flicker of something, and wondered if the ghosts of the departed Weyrfolk were still keeping watch. Robinton was on drum duty the day of teh announcement of Feyrith's last clutch (though it was not known at the time that it would be her last). There was excitement over the announcement of a queen egg, and what looked to be nine bronzes. There was no Search, however, as the Weyr had enough candidates of its own. Robinton managed to convince the drum master to allow him to send a message requestion information about who Impressed what. He learns that Falloner (F'lon), Rangul (R'gul), and Sellel (S'lel) Impressed bronzes, among others, and that Lytonal (now L'tol), from the Weavercrafthall in , Impressed a brown. There were indeed 9 Bronzes and a Queen. Merelan remarked that "it may well be that S'loner is right after all". Robinton's voice changes at the age of 13. He is concerned about what he will do when he must take Petiron's class in composition as a journeyman. Robinton at this point is a tall, skinny, lad, and is concerned with his mother's paleness. Robinton hurries off to finish the lap-harp he was working on, one of the four pieces he had to complete to gain journeymanship. It is displayed anonymously, and avoids criticism from Petiron. In the spring of his second year of apprenticeship, F'lon appears, fulfilling his earlier promise to visit Robinton when he had a dragon. F'lon states his belief that Robinton would become MasterHarper some day. F'lon states that Robinton would've made a good rider. F'lon enjoys a leisurely visit at Harper Hall. F'lon gives Robinton a standing invitation for a ride anytime he needed transportation. By the third year of his apprenticeship, he had completed all the requirement for journeymanship. Merelan passes out during a rehearsal. The MasterHealer requires her to rest. F'lon honors his promise and comes to Harper Hall to transport Merelan and Petiron to . Merelan returned that autumn to the Harper Hall, well-rested. Relations between Robinton and Petiron become even more frigid. Gennel tells Robinton that he's not sure what to do with him. He'd already completed all his courses. He mentions that some holds don't want Harpers. Robinton asks for a teaching assignment, and Gennel tells him he'll assign him as an assitant teacher somewhere. Robinton is nervous that evening at dinner, expecting the announcement of his assignment. To his stunned amazement, it is announced that he has been promoted to Journeyman, at the age of 15. It is announced that he will go to underneath Master Lobirn. He is walked to the journeyman's table by Shonally, by this point a journeyman himself for the past two years. Characters Introduced *Evenek - Popular apprentice promoted to journeyman same time as Robinton *Falawny - tanned lad with sunbleached hair, from *Lear - Apprentice from , glad not to become a Fisher like the rest of his family *Grodon - a skinny apprentice *Jerint - Dark-complexioned lad from southern , pipe-player *Kailey - An apprentice promoted to Journeyman at same time as Robinton, sent to Wide Bay Hold in Keroon *Shelline - tanned apprentice from Characters Appearing *Barba *Betrice *Bosler *C'rob *Falloner *Gennel *Ginia *Hayara *Lexey *Libby *Lorra *Maizella *Merelan *Ogolly *Petiron *Robinton *Shonagar *Silvina *Washell Characters Mentioned *C'gan *Halanna *Hayon *Kubisa *Lexey *Lobirn *Londik *L'tol *Rantou *Ricardy - A masterharper at Fort *R'gul *Severeid *S'lel *S'loner M08